


First Impressions

by asoulofstars



Series: Familiarity [1]
Category: The Mentalist
Genre: First Meeting, Gen, start of friendship - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24233767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars
Summary: On Jane's first (non-official) day at CBI, he meets one of the forensic unit people, and it's a moment.
Relationships: Patrick Jane & Original Character(s), Patrick Jane & Riona Gallagher
Series: Familiarity [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749190
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> I fell in love with The Mentalist and started writing fic. This takes place in 5x05's "Red Dawn" when we see Jane's first day at CBI.

“Steve, get the hell away from my body!” Riona called, marching up to the scene. “And stop making the new agents squeamish! Compromises my scene!” She hated the way that they always had to mess with the rookies, and the man looked as if he was about to be sick.   
“I am not an agent,” the man told her.  
Riona looked him up and down, noting his curly blonde hair, tired eyes, and shaky demeanor that grew a little less shaky with his insistence about his status. “Dr. Riona Gallagher,” she said. “I would offer my hand, but I need the gloves to be sterile for my examination.”  
“Patrick Jane,” he replied.  
Riona went from paying more attention to the body to paying more attention to him. “Patrick Jane? You’re the psychic, aren’t you?” She knew that name, and she knew his story. She was stunned that he was right here of all places.  
“No such thing as psychics,” he answered with a shrug.  
Riona responded with a half-smile. “Even if it’s not a supernatural power, you still have powers that other people don’t. That means that psychics exist, even if it’s not what most people would call a psychic.”  
He raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s a fair enough assessment, but psychics still don’t exist. Since there is no supernatural power, then it would be a different title.”  
Riona chewed her bottom lip and tilted her head. “You’re right. Good linguistic catch.”  
He gave her the faintest hint of a smile. “You should look for the woman he was on a date with.” It was directed at Lisbon and Hannigan, but Riona looked impressed as she bent over the body. She hoped that she would get to work with Patrick Jane more.

~*~

Jane watched the petite and curvy forensics woman walk up the hill to the body that he’d left behind and watched as Hannigan held up his hands and backed up a few paces at the way she yelled. It was amazing to see a man so large move that quickly, purely because of the force in a woman’s voice. When she yelled, her voice was like a whip crack. It startled him the littlest bit, after the calm of being in-patient for so long.   
She introduced herself as Dr. Riona Gallagher, and she apologized for not being able to shake hands. Apologized. She never actually said she was sorry. But he could read it in her expression. She was genuine, easy to read. And she liked people. So, he could tell that she wished that she could follow proper social conventions. He replied with his name, and he watched as her posture shifted. She was curious about him, now, instead of the body, and those eyes that were intent on nearly x-raying the body were now focused on him.  
They bantered about the semantics of being a psychic, and he felt like smiling in the first time since he’d been released. He followed Agent Lisbon back to her car, but he could feel Riona’s eyes following him. He was impressed with her. He liked her. She was quick on her feet, and she knew how powerful words could be. Maybe this crime scene hadn't been all bad.


End file.
